Bryan, I had assumed that the question was one of snakes versus ceramics. But I would think substituting recoil SFs would offer a slight advantage over factory DFs, as you found. I would correct the factory guide placement if static testing indicated that it was way off. Good place to start, however.
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Wire is never better than ceramics in a 6 weight. The Recoil single foot should add performance over the double foot. The idea that they are noisy is a myth. Go with ceramics, titanium frames if you are concerned about weight.
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Art. Have you posted any CCS data for bamboo? I need to get the pamphlet and post my newest boo rods.
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You want to put a final coat of poly or Tru-oil over the stain. I have a reel seat w/o the top coat and it is showing some rub wear. I am also trying some experiments with bleaching agents and white stains. Early results are good.
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Ditto on the Klass Kote. Too much build-up with anything else around that hex shaped blank. In fact, I am conducting an experiment now with Gudebrod 811 and KK versus varnish as the top coat. As to ceramics, I have thought to use H & H strippers as they are traditional in appearance. Still contemplating an appropriate running guide.
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I generally glue up the barrel and insert off the blank. Standing the insert vertical will allow gravity to keep it in place until it sets up. Same with the cap. The end cap can be glued on at the same time as the rest of the assembly, but I sometimes wait to glue it on until later to make sure the insert is centered full length on the blank when I glue the assembly onto the blank. You must
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Tape off the male blank at full seating depth and coat a little Miniwax clear or satin polyurethane on the tip above the tape with a cotton patch. I have painted several IVs with poly and pigment and it stays on. Permagloss should work too. One or 2 coats should do it.
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Whoops. Didn't notice that you are using wire. Smallest I would use is a #2.
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I have gone down to 4.5 on some rods, but in hindsight a #6 would have been better, even with the Zap-a-Gap splice. Some of the new ceramic rings are pretty thin, and you could go to a 5. I suspect many builders would use #7s for that weight rod.
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Exactly so for the wet and dry configurations. Doubt if it would make much difference casting but sounds good. I was looking at the H&H strippers and am thinking a 12, 10, and 8 on the butt. They are ceramic but still have the style of the older strippers. Course, 2 too many strippers for a traditional look.
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I have been spared this same decision until last week, when I ordered a 4 weight bamboo blank. One thing you will notice going to ceramics is that the guide side flat on a hex blank is much narrower than you are used to, and a radiused foot is of no use at all. On some other rods, I did have the idea to use one or two PacBay XSGs to transition from stripping guide to snakes/SF wire. At le
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I like the RECs, but you need to use a ceramic stripper. That is where the noise comes from. I don't use wire at all on a 4 weight or above. On a really light rod, an argument can be made for the double foot, as they bend more than the SFs.
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A 4 weight is kinda the breakpoint for the switch from ceramics. I heavily favor REC single foots, BUT I think an argument can be made for double foot RECs on a thin tipped rod. They really bend, and have much less width than the side by side configuration of the SFs.
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I would build the ONE. The others are nice, but not really "Light rods" in my book. Should handle that nymph just fine.
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No telephone # on the website. Does anyone have the email? It won't come up on my computer.
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Ray. You got most of the distinctions. I use single foot ceramics until weight becomes a factor, then switch to SF wire. Titanium framed ceramics are very light, so the break point is usually at a 2 weight. I really like the REC wires as they are thin, light, and springy. I have found one clear benefit to double foot wire, though. The flat on a hexagonal blank is so narrow that the DF will
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Does anyone carry this product? I am not big about entering credit card numbers onto the net. Don
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Water based acrylic varnish from the craft store. It is a milky white. They have changed the formula for Varathane 900.
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Klass Kote epoxy paint was designed to be sprayed from an air gun. Now that is thin! If you leave it in the cup for an hour (as the maker recommends) it thickens up enough for a second, final coat. Next to varnish, as minimalist as it gets.
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With a burnishing tool you can pack from the ends, or slide it over the top of the wrap. I use a gentle back pressure to pack while the thread is going on, never touching the thread. I wear the magnifying glasses when doing anything (required in the past few years). While you should stick to medium to dark threads, it is hard to see the gaps in a black thread.
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Bill. Have you tried Klass Kote epoxy paint? Penetrates like crazy and dries rock hard. And does NOT smell like the permagloss. With care, you can do the wrap with 2 coats.
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You need a burnishing tool. The cheap plastic one will do. Also some 2x reading glasses. This will allow you to pack the thread uniformly after wrapping. Don't use light thread over a dark blank. Don't use CP, although I did get some very good results recently with Gudebrod 811. I really like Klass Kote epoxy paint from a former sponsor, as it evaporates off and leaves a very thin finish, m
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You can get some excellent deals on @#$%& on H & I and Montague rods. As long as they are pretty beat and thus have little collector value, strip 'em down and rebuild. I just re-built a inexpensive 2 of 3 piece re-build. Looks pretty good.
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Cortland carries the cap and rings in-house. The nickle silver looks better than the aluminum versions but is heavier.
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I like Lou's advice. I prefer lighter weight rods for everything, but you need to be able to throw air resistant flies. That overloaded 4 sounds great, and I suspect you can slow your casting stroke way down and all but eliminate false casting. Keep it light and your arm and shoulder will thank you.
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There are some ceramic guides where the insert matches the frame. Those might look very good.
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Stan. Klass Kote epoxy paint penetrates well and is very hard when dry. Save your lungs! Billy - I was thinking more of stripping guides and the gap those feet create. I tend to agree that thread and finish don't weigh much as compared with the weight savings you get as between stainless and titanium. And with a 4 weight (tip), I can't tell any difference in the relative weight of the gu
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Billy. You got a point about creating a cavern of sorts, but I am not sure that it needs to be filled to add strength or whether you are merely adding weight. I have noticed some blotches with CP along the guide foot, but that is another problem. Any thoughts Tom K.?
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I am not familiar with the guide set up you describe, but IMO agatine strippers only look good with wire running guides. A good set of REC single foots might work, or wire double footed spinning guides that look like the agate guide without the agate ring.
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Keith. The solution is really easy: don't leave a tunnel. Put 3 or 4 blocking wraps ahead of the foot. I do this on double foot guides too, although you have to cut the thread and pass it through the guide. Much neater finish overall.
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